Improvement in fruit-crates



E. HOPKINS. Fruit-Grate.

No. 197,470. Patented Nov. 2?, 1877.

ILFETE'RS, PHTLlTMOGRAPH ER, WAEHINGTON. D. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFron.

EDWIN HOPKINS, OF MILFORD, DELAWARE.

IMPROVEMENT IN FRUlT-CRATES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 197,470, dated November Q7, 1877; application filed January 4, 1877. v

. tion thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The object of this invention is to provide a means for retarding and preventing the heating, sweating, or premature decay of articles of a perishable nature, such as fruit, vegeta bles, game, and the like, while in transit from the place of shipping to the place in which they are to be marketed or unpacked.

To this'end my invention consists in constructing a ventilating attachment for shipping-cases, as hereinafter more fully described, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 represents a perspective View of a crate for fruit with my ventilator attached; Fig. 2, a longitudinal sectional view of the ventilator detached, and Fig. 3 a similar view of a modified form of my ventilator.

In all the figures similar letters of reference denote corresponding parts.

A designates a packing-case, consisting of the ends or heads ea, partition I), and slats 00. These ends or heads a a and the partition I; are provided with suitable openings, into which is inserted the removable ventilating attachment B, consisting of the perforated end pieces 01 d and the slats e e, of any desired number. These perforated end pieces d d are, preferably, of polygonal shape, and are so lo cated, near the ends of the slats e e, that the circulation of the air through the perforations may not be impeded when the case, in transportation, may have been placed upon end. For this purpose, also, if desired, end rests f f may be employed.

The object in having the ventilating attachment removable is to enable it to be readily removed in the event of injury to the case, and to allow others to be substituted in cases where the ventilator itself has become injured. These ventilators may also be supplied by manufacturers to consumers in large numbers, but

little skill being required to adapt them toforated end pieces cl (1 are of tapering or wedge shape, and hold the slats e e in place within the openings in the ends or heads a a by friction, no other means of attachment being found necessary when the end pieces d d have been driven in tight.

The ventilator has been here shown and described as attached to a fruit-crate. It is obvious, however, that it is equally applicable to-all similar shipping-cases for like purposes.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

I 1. The ventilator B, composed of the end pieces (I d and slats e e, substantially as and. for the purpose set forth.

2. In combination with a shipping-case, a central ventilating attachment, extending from end to end of said case, and composed of slats having spaces between them to admit the air, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of the case A, having end rests ff, and ventilator B, as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDWIN HOPKINS.

Witnesses: I

CHARLES G. FIsnER, R. J. BEswIoK. 

